114 ILLUSTRATIONS OF THE BOTANY OF [ Thea. 
. 
heat as high it is said as 121°. The mean temperature of the three spring months is 
56.30°, and of those of autumn 54.32°, but it frequently freezes in both March and 
November; the mean temperature, however, of seven months is above 51.8°, or that 
of the months in which trees vegetate that lose their foliage. The temperature of 
the spring months being of March 41.4°, of April 57.0°, of May 70.3°, and of June 
84,2°: the increase of the vernal temperature and the differences between these four 
months are seen to be very great, and very equal (15.7°, 13.3°, and 13.9°) as charac- 
teristic of climates where the division of the annual heat between the seasons is very 
unequal (Humboldt on Isothermal lines. Brewst. Journal, vol. iii. iv.) 
In some works it is stated that there are properly only two seasons at Pekin, summer 
and winter, or the seasons of snow and rain. The months of June, July, and August, are 
stated to be very rainy, and the average of rainy days to be fifty-eight. The climate 
of the northern provinces must, however, be considered a dry one, as we learn, from both 
Sir G. Staunton and Dr. Abel, that large stacks of salt are left in the open air, on the 
banks of the Pei-ho, covered only by bamboo matting under a coating of clay. The 
showers are described as being light ; no indications of a damp atmosphere are mentioned, 
but heavy dews occur in the evening. The season in which China was visited by 
Lord Macartney’s embassy was peculiarly dry, as it is mentioned that from July to 
November scarcely a shower had fallen, and the country had been traversed from 
Zhehol to 30° of N. latitude. Lord Amhert’s embassy also, which arrived on the Pei-ho 
on the 12th of August, had hardly any rain until the beginning of November, when they 
had got into the teacountry. Le Compte also mentions a drought which had continued 
for five months in the year he arrived in China. The foregoing view of the climate of 
Pekin, though more severe than what the tea-plant is subjected to, will serve as an 
approach to a true estimate of the extremes of temperature which it is capable of 
bearing, as it is cultivated in 363° north, and also in Japan. 
As an indication of a southern climate where the tea-plant is cultivated, and the 
only one of which we have any account, it will be useful to refer to the following 
view of the climate of Canton furnished by Mr. Reeves to Dr. Lindley. I have 
deduced the mean temperatures from the maxima and minima, the results, therefore, 
though somewhat too low, cannot be very far from the truth. The range of the 
thermometer, and its means in the several months at Canton, are: in 
Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. May. June. July. Aug. Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec. 
Maxima 74 78 82 86 88 90 94 90 88 85 80 70 
Minima 29 oe 00. Oe 6 16 10 Ot: a ae 
Means 515 58 63 70.5 76 82 86.5 825 79 71 60 57.5 ... 69.7 Mean annual 
temperature. 
The cold weather months, or from November to February, are fine, dry, and bracing, 
with a range of the thermometer from noon to night of 10° and 20°, the prevailing winds 
being N. and N.E. February is cold and rainy, March warm and foggy. In April 
and May the weather is warm, but pleasant, with variable winds, chiefly from the 
S. and 8.E. In June and July there are often heavy showers with thunder, lightning, 
and 
